Panthers seek mettle on road

The blue-collar setting is fitting as the Florida Panthers embark on a four-game trip in search of self and regaining footing in the Eastern Conference.

A gritty home win that ended a five-game skid was a step in reestablishing identity as a hard-working bunch. Now they need to find their mojo on the road where they are 0-3.

This week's tough tour could be pivotal to Panthers hopes in the lockout-shortened season. Following Sunday's matinee in Buffalo, the crisscrossing odyssey will take the Panthers to Winnipeg, Philadelphia and conclude Saturday in Washington.

The Panthers will be without captain Ed Jovanovski, who will miss the trip due to a knee injury. Coach Kevin Dineen said Saturday that center Stephen Weiss appears ready to return after missing four games with a groin injury.

"It's a big trip for us. We've got to get some points and get back into this thing," Weiss said.

It should help to have the No. 1 line together for the first time this season with Weiss joining Kris Versteeg and Tomas Fleischmann.

The 2-5 start had the Panthers tied for last in the East entering Saturday's play. They can't afford to dig a deeper hole in a 48-game season.

But a couple of wins could alter perspective quickly, and the Panthers are viewing the trip as an opportunity.

"I love these road trips — you spend time with the guys and get to know them more and more. It shows on the ice as well," forward Tomas Kopecky said.

The Panthers haven't been a cohesive unit in their three road losses, getting outscored 13-3.

Thursday's hard-fought 6-3 win over Winnipeg at the BB&T Center exhibited the work ethic the Panthers will need to take on the trip. It followed Dineen characterizing his team's early-season play as soft.

"On the road sometimes you have to play grind-it-out kind of hockey a little bit. I think that brings the team closer together if you're successful on the road," defenseman Brian Campbell said.

Campbell, who played in eight seasons with the Sabres, has arranged for the Panthers to watch the Super Bowl at a friend's restaurant that is normally closed on Sunday.

"They're going to have a couple big TVs and lots of food, and hopefully it will be a happy room after a win," Campbell said.

Gudbranson back soon?

Jovanovski's injury could hasten the return of Erik Gudbranson during the trip. Gudbranson saw his first game action since shoulder surgery Friday with San Antonio.

Alex Kovalev, who missed Friday's practice with the flu, participated in Saturday's short session before the team departed for Buffalo.

Kopecky quick step

Kopecky said the common thread of teams having early-season success has been maintaining a high tempo and outworking opponents. Those characteristics have been evident from Kopecky as he has amassed two goals and two assists in the first seven games.

His empty-netter that punctuated the win over the Jets was a pure hustle play as he stole the puck at his own blue line and outskated the defense to score.

"High energy is exactly it," Dineen said of Kopecky. "And diversity to his game in that he's playing both sides of the specialty teams. He's played all three forward positions in the first [seven] games. He's a quality piece of the puzzle."

Hope for Santorelli

Dineen said that Mike Santorelli's demotion to San Antonio was to give the slumping forward ice time with the hope of regaining his scoring touch, which has been dwindling since scoring 20 goals in 2010-11.

"I believe Santo is a top-six player and his skill set is as a higher-end skilled forward,'' Dineen said. "Right now we don't have that fit for him. So he needs to either diversify his game or get a major dose of confidence. I hope some time in the American League will give him that jolt of ice time he needs to turn things around."